B-Movie Star

This June I've joined Tangie Baxter's Art Caravan. It's a wonderful art journal journey and I encourage anyone who thinks it sounds the least bit interesting to check it out and consider joining. You don't have to be an "artist" at all - it's for everyone and that's what I love about this - you learn and are inspired by all different types of people with all different types of talents.

"Join "The Art Journal Caravan" with your Tour Guide Studio Tangie!  I'll take you on a Fascinating Year Long Journey into the World of Art Journaling with both digital and hands on experience!" This program can be started at any point in the year,  it's designed so that you can jump in at ANY time.  I hope to see some of your work in the gallery!

Here are a few pages that I've done so far:

Do you sometimes get in a rut with your scrapping? Or maybe you just feel like doing something different, could it be that you've never really digi scrapped at all?! Well here's something that you might like to try . . . it's called Creative Artworks and it's a challenge over at Enchanted Studio Scraps.  This challenge was introduced to me by Circle of Life Studio - a designer at ESS.  She has a wonderful post in the ESS forum that gives an in-depth explanation of Creative Artworks, which is similar to ATC, or Artist Trading Cards.  These cards can be created using mixed media - paint, fabrics, macaroni noodles or even digital scrapbook kits.

Using this form of expression can really free up your creativity - and maybe have you looking at your scrapping layouts in a new way!  The Creative Artworks challenge going on now involves creating ATCs or working on a digital journal - the ATCs usually follow a specific size, but the journal can be whatever size you have or want to create.

I whole heartedly recommend checking the challenge out! It's a lot of fun and there's no wrong way to do it. if you've never scrapped before this might be a great way to jump in and learn. Amanda at Circle of Life Studio is very helpful and encouraging, so there's no reason to feel intimidated by this! Please stop by and join in!!

Here are a couple layouts that I've done for the challenge - working on an art journal of Joy. If I can do this, so can you!!

Saint Patrick's Day is a day in the U.S. where everyone can be Irish for a day! If you're going to get your green on and go searching for a pot of gold, here's a little something to get you started!  All you need to do is download - there's a pdf inside - print the letters - they're set up on 8-1/2 x 11" paper - then cut them out and hang!

Click on the image to download!

You know I love classic B-movies right?! So I have to share any cool B-movie related stuff I come across - and wow! You have to check these handbags out!

Created by Scottish artist Julia Griffin, "The bags & images are thoughtfully paired together & hand painted using a good quality leather paint for a professional & durable finish. The result is a surprisingly authentic, functional & totally unique piece of Pop Art. . ."

Very cool indeed!

Today I saw an article about what an authentic red velvet cake is.  I was happy to report that this recipe I shared with you a couple years ago meets the requirements for AUTHENTIC red velvet cake! Only the best from me I tellya!

Anyway, here is a repost of the recipe I've used, with instructions on how to make a cute little heart shape cake so you can surprise your sweetie . . . or just make one for yourself !

Make your cake in one square (8x8x2") and one round (8x1-1/2") pans. To make the heart shape, cut the round cake in half and place against the the square layer as shown in the diagram. So easy and cute!

Then frost and decorate your cake however your sweetie will like it best!

If you'd like a red cake here's a recipe for Red Velvet cake with White Frosting - click to enlarge.

Isn't this cute? It just makes me smile. I think everyone needs a little cupid in their life, and you can have one like this!  It was created by Heidi at My Paper Crane and you can download it from Danielle Thompson's Blog.  There are instructions and a downloadable pdf.  I'm off to make some now . . .

I just love this version of this song . . . so I thought I would share . . . it's a good song for the new year.

EDITOR'S NOTE - DAMMIT! I WROTE THIS POST AND IT DIDN'T PUBLISH CORRECTLY! grrrr I hate when the computer outsmarts me AGAIN!!!! Well, anyway - it was supposed to be posted on Halloween, but it's never too late for a horror movie right? So I guess you can just consider this a little Halloween Hangover cure! See ya NEXT YEAR!!!

and go!!!!!

I almost forgot to mention this year several "newer" movies (and by that I mean movies made AFTER 1959!)  that I suggest you watch. It might be a little late to get them for Halloween, but if you're looking for some good horror it might be time to look at some foreign films.

I suggest Guillermo del Toro.  I've never seen Hellboy, one of his best known movies,  it just didn't seem like my cup of tea, but after seeing Pan's Labyrinth a few years ago, I was impressed and intrigued with him as a director.  So I gave a couple of them a whirl, and I think you should too. So, here are few of his movies that you must absolutely watch - you must - they are so much better than the recent horror films being released in the U.S. *coughparnormalactivitysuckscough*

The first one I'm recommending is the 2001 movie, The Devil's Backbone, that was written, directed and produced by del Toro. I was nervous to watch it, not sure what I was going to get myself into, but I am so glad that I tried it. I love the layered story lines of the movie. I love the look of the movie and the effects that are used when we see the ghost.  It's a haunting tale in both the scary and the lingering sense. It's truly terrifying - you will be on the edge of your seat, and it's also a sad and poignant story. Watch it, you will not be disappointed - at least I don't think you will be. If you have any taste at all you will love it!  hee hee - no pressure there right?! You may have to read subtitles, the film is in Spanish, but seriously I got so caught up in the story I didn't even think about the fact that it was subtitled.

It is 1939, the end of three years of bloody civil war in Spain, and General Franco's right-wing Nationalists are poised to defeat the left-wing Republican forces. A ten-year-old boy named Carlos, the son of a fallen Republican war hero, is left by his tutor in an orphanage in the middle of nowhere. The orphanage is run by a curt but considerate headmistress named Carmen and a kindly Professor Casares, both of whom are sympathetic to the doomed Republican cause. Despite their concern for him, and his gradual triumph over the usual schoolhouse bully, Carlos never feels completely comfortable in his new environment. First of all, there was that initial encounter with the orphanage's nasty caretaker, Jacinto, who reacts even more violently when anyone is caught looking around a particular storage room the one with the deep well. Second, and more inexplicable, is the presence of a ghost, one of the former occupants of the orphanage named Santi. Not long after Carlos' arrival, Santi latches onto Carlos, badgering him incessantly at night and gloomily intoning, "Many of you will die." As if that wasn't enough to keep the orphanage's occupants in an unrelenting state of terror, there's the un-exploded bomb that dominates the orphanage's courtyard, still ticking away; With the orphanage left defenseless by its isolation, and the swift progression of Franco's troops, the ghost's prediction seems depressingly accurate. Nevertheless, with every step of the plot, it becomes apparent that the ghost's predictions as to who (or what) will die, the real source of danger and even the definition of death itself may be more ambiguous than first thought. - fromIMBb

The next movie you should go see is the 2007 film, The Orphanage which was produced by del Toro and directed by Juan Antonio Bayona.  This was actually the second one of del Toro's films that I watched. It's a great, suspenseful tale. It's a beautifully crafted film and well written. There are some definite moments that make you jump out of your skin, but overall it's an atmospheric horror movie where the scariness is more in the head than jumping off the screen. Don't be fooled though, it was a disturbing film, and I'm not sure I could watch it again, but I'm glad I was able to see it once. I think you'll like it too. It is also subtitled.

The former orphan Laura raises her adopted son Simón with her husband Carlos in an old house and former orphanage where she was raised. Simón is HIV positive and tells Laura that he has five invisible friends, and she believes they are fruit of his imagination. Laura decides to reopen an orphanage for handicapped children in the location and during the opening party, Simón calls her to show the little cabin of his friend Tomás. The busy Laura does not gives much attention to her son; then she sees a mysterious masked boy and Simón vanishes. Laura feels the presence of other persons in the house and months later, the desperate Laura invites a team of parapsychologists to try to unravel the mystery. from IMBd

Have a spooky Halloween Weekend . . . .

Designs In Digital has some openings for Designers - both Guest and Permanent. It's a great place to design and everyone there is really great to work with! Check it out if you're interested!

If you're looking for some fun on a Wednesday night, might I suggest a Speed Scrap? This Wednesday I'm hosting one at Designs in Digital. The theme is going to be Monster Trivia - in honor of Halloween and it's going to be lots of fun and yes, there will be prizes!! Please come and bring a friend - dead or alive that's up to  you!  Click on the image below to head on over!